From Ometepe we went
to Managua where we boarded this plane for a flight to the Corn Islands,
about 85 kilometers off Nicaragua's Caribbean coast.

We landed at Brig Bay,
on Big Corn Island. This is Atlantic Airlines' ultramodern terminal, complete
with spiffy luggage shuttle.

Even though the harbor
at Brig Bay is photogenic, we weren't overly impressed by the island.
Our real destination was Big Corn's sister island, Little Corn.

The only way to reach
Little Corn is to travel 18 kilometers from Big Corn in an open boat.
The passage can sometimes be rough and is probably enough of a deterrence
to keep the crowds down.

Little Corn, only three
square kilometers in area, has the perfectly unspoiled Caribbean beaches
we dream about in the depths of Vermont winters.

There is nothing much
to do  just lie around in hammocks, reading, drinking cold beer,
eating $5 lobster lunches, snorkeling on the beautiful reef not far off
shore  you have the picture.

In the photo above,
Barbara is lounging at Miss Elsa's. She is the proprietress of a bit of
beachfront, who serves inexpensive, fresh fish and lobster cooked over
an open fire, with very cold beer. Miss Elsa is on the right, with Wally.

The friendly people
of Little Corn are more likely to speak English and Creole than they are
to speak Spanish. It doesn't feel like Nicaragua  Little Corn is
a world of its own.

We stayed on Little
Corn at the newly-built Lobster Inn. It has only 12 tiny rooms, each
with private bath, and it is inexpensive. The Cuban chef, Rolando Fabars,
must be the best cook on the island.

If we could go back
to only one place in Nicaragua, it would probably be Little Corn 
though it would be a tough call.